I spent a long time feeling like I was living in a frame that was several sizes too small. Leaving my full-time position as a corporate photographer at a university in Singapore was a choice born out of a quiet, desperate need for air. Between the office politics and the rigid limitations on my creative voice, I felt my style and my spirit becoming increasingly brittle. When I finally walked away, the liberation was immediate, but it was quickly shadowed by a very specific, very pragmatic Singaporean brand of fear. In a city where the cost of living is high and the cost of failure feels even higher, I couldn't help but wonder if I had traded stability for a mistake.
I have always been the type of person who gives 1000% to the things I love, but I find it impossible to perform for the sake of performing. Like Sanren's Rayson, I am driven by a philosophy that refuses to settle for the mundane or the "safe" choice. I want to break moulds, not fit into them. Yet, that internal drive often collided with the fear of failing in such an expensive environment. This conflict was at its loudest when I had to start marketing myself. I was paralysed by the "what ifs"—what if no one liked my style? I wrestled with the temptation to shift towards a more "palatable" way of shooting just to ensure a steady stream of clients. It would have been easy to lean into the cookie-cutter approach: the same predictable poses in the same popular locations that I knew would satisfy the typical Singaporean couple. I saw the big-name, factory-style wedding vendors making big bucks by treating photography like an assembly line, and I wondered if sticking to my love for imperfection and genuine, human-level interaction would leave me stranded in a niche too small to survive in.
The workshop itself didn't feel like a series of lectures; it felt like an adult summer camp for the soul. Suddenly, I was surrounded by a tribe of creators from across the globe, all speaking the same unspoken language of human emotion. There wasn't one single "lightbulb" moment that eased my marketing fears; instead, it was a realisation that grew naturally through the many conversations I had over meals and downtime. Listening to so many different perspectives helped me see that my "niche" was my heartbeat. One of my team members spoke about the concept of "closeness" (近), and it resonated deeply. We talked about being close to our clients—treating them as friends rather than subjects—and being close to one another. Despite our different cultures and languages, those four days stripped us down to our common denominator: we were just humans there to create.
During the speaker sessions, the wisdom of the mentors began to weave into my own perspective, offering practical anchors for my creative adriftness. I found myself thinking about Rehuel’s approach to inspiration; he spoke about looking outside the wedding industry—studying the flow of cinema and even the mundane movement of strangers on the street—to bring life and "immersion" to his work. It made me realise that if a couple is shy, the solution isn't more direction, but simply allowing them to be themselves. Eugene from Bottled Groove reinforced this, sharing how he handles the weight of complex, heavy emotions by simply "taking the photo" when he feels something, trusting that the couple will feel that same heartbeat when they see the image later. He uses simple, human questions about first impressions to trigger genuine reactions, rather than pulling people aside for artificial "scenes." It was a reminder that documentary-style photography isn't just a trend; it's an emotional resonance.
This sentiment was echoed by the Owlsome team, who shared their natural evolution from weddings into a creative agency. They didn't separate their identities into different brands; instead, they combined them, proving that if your work is active and diverse, the world will eventually see you as a complete creative entity. Nelson’s words on keeping the "kid" alive felt like a direct response to the corporate life I had just escaped. He warned against becoming a mere "operator" through too much commercial work, encouraging us to use personal projects as a playground for experimentation. His rubric for projects—balancing exposure, money, and portfolio—offered a grounded way to navigate the "money vs opportunity" trap. Most importantly, he reminded us that we shouldn't be trying to impress the industry; we should be trying to impress ourselves.
I even surprised myself by sitting through Jayden’s segment on generative AI. As someone who would never use AI in my creative work, I was ready to walk out. But I stayed, and I realised that while our tools are different, the drive to be bold and step outside the box is identical. Jayden spoke about using AI not to replace the artist, but as a way to "pick the brain" and kickstart the hardest part of any project: starting. He was firm on the ethical line—never changing the original subject or intention—and emphasised that a stylist’s point of view or an artist’s vision is something AI simply cannot replicate. It took a certain kind of courage to share that perspective in a room full of traditional creatives, and I left with a newfound respect for the bravery it takes to be different.
By the time the final exhibition arrived, the dam finally broke. I found myself crying—a feat I hadn’t even managed when sending my LDR partner off at the airport. It was a messy, beautiful collision of happiness, validation, and sadness. I felt happy because I had finally allowed myself to be a kid for a week. I realised I wasn’t "wrong" for wanting to experiment and grow, even if the "factory" vendors were making more money. And I felt a sharp pang of sadness because I knew this temporary sanctuary was ending. I left the workshop with no new technical insights, but filled with the quiet confidence that finding my tribe was the best choice I ever made.
SANREN WORKSHOP 2026
DIRECTOR Rayson Lo
PHOTOGRAPHER Eric Nah/ Yandha Goh/ Speng/ Andy Lim/ Brian Lee/ Frandi
CINEMATOGRAPHER Song/ Bii Lo/ Nigel/ Hariz/ Shikai/ Yentao/ Ken
MUA Jion Chong/ Yanru Tan/ PeiJia
STYLISTS Birdy/ Rie/ WeiWeiWei/ Edmund/ Ace/ Limaofficial
LAB TEAM Acap/ Muhammad
FLORIST & DECO Brendan/ Fellowfolks/ Fion/ Genflorist/ Helen
BTS VIDEO SlothCreatives/ Edlyn/ Daniel/ Ernest/ Marcus/ Justin
BTS PHOTO Peter/ Masaya/ YiLe
BTS CONTENT CREATOR Ah Ling
SANREN INTERNATIONAL CREW Qing/ Roger/ Jones/ Bao/ Iris/ ChiaAn/ Ryan/ SanShun/ Mike/ KKT/ JinHeng/ ChenXi/ Rama/ GuoZi/ Angie
TALENTS ShiHan/ Jie/ Bobo/ WeiShin/ Wesley/ Rebekah
Photos by Amelia (Nikon FM2, Samsung Galaxy S24)